by Amy | Dec 24, 2014 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
Happy Christmas Eve everyone. I hope you are gathering in with family and friends to celebrate the really big deal that is Christmas! Just for kicks I thought I’d share a few images from a recent newborn session. It was Christmas themed, and precious. And really, who doesn’t want an extra does of cute going in to Christmas Day?
This little one belongs to the Rockwell family. You might remember their maternity session. Such a sweet, gorgeous couple. This was such a fun, relaxing session to shoot. And it was during this session that I learned about the amazing spatchcocking technique that worked out so well at Thanksgiving.
Merry Christmas all!
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
–James 1:17
by Amy | Dec 16, 2014 | Blog, The Art of Living, The Art of the Moment
When Jessica got in touch with me to ask if I’d be willing to do a photo session for her and a group of friends I was immediately excited. I know this group. I like this group. They are 100% fun.
In Jessica’s initial message asking about the session she told me that they wanted to capture this unique season in life. Young, unmarried, most of them living away from family. In a lot of ways this group of friends has become family. And that’s a magical, special thing. Maybe as you scroll through these images you’ll see a piece of yourself and your own friends looking back at you. I hope you’ll smile as you remember those good times with the family that didn’t share your DNA. Or that you’ll feel especially grateful for your own amazing friends. Or that you’ll pick up your phone and send a message {or actually place a call} to a friend from a season in your life that has come and gone. Moments are special and relationships are gifts worth cherishing…a big thanks to every single member of this group for letting me hang out and capture the art of this moment for you.
You might be wondering what it is about these people that is so dear to me. Well…let me tell you. As you can tell by that list I wrote up of things to do in-and-around Minot this winter, I like doing things. And I like people who do things. This group does things. They go out, they stay in, they are welcoming and hospitable to new-to-the-area folks and {correct me if I’m wrong} the Minot Young Adult Facebook group sprung from this very gang.
I simply adore that these antlers were worn constantly during the session.
This was a VERY windy, very snowy, very cold day. But what is a full length, Practically Canadian, Christmas photo session without a few outdoor shots? So, we watched the window carefully. And when the snow and wind had calmed enough that we could actually see more than a pure sheet of white…we bundled up and braved the cold. It was very brave.
Then they literally ran back inside for more cookie making. I’ve never seen so much raw cookie dough consumed in one sitting before. I’m not judging. I’m not even mad…I’m impressed. Oh, and please notice the amazing cookie cutter shapes they had.
by Amy | Dec 4, 2014 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
The day has finally arrived…Christmas photo day! Today I’ll be sharing my favorite shot {or in some cases shots} from each mini session I did over the last several weeks. I don’t like to be a photo spoiler…so when it comes to Christmas photos I send them to the clients first. Then I only share one {or two} here on the site…in case they are surprising family and friends with images for Christmas.
Anyway, today is the big day. I’m showing off my favorites. So grab some cocoa. Turn up the Bing Crosby, and enjoy!
If you follow the Facebook page, you will recognize these two cuties from the preview I posted last night. I love that Momma brought cookies, milk and Christmas jammies!
This little elf is on the sassy side. At first all she did was roll her eyes at me. Really, she rolled them! But after a bit she cracked a smile–and I’m so glad she did! Adorbes! {You can see more of this sassy pant here with her cousins.}
Can I just say that I’m in love with this sister shot?? I love everything about it.
Have you ever seen a baby with cooler hair than this? I haven’t.
This dog’s name is Wrinkles. She is adorable and had no problem wearing antlers and a sweater. Seriously! What a hunnie! {See more of Kate and Jake…sans pup, here.}
If you are wondering why this precious ginger baby is grinning so brightly….it’s because this guy was behind me cracking her up!
I loved working with this couple. And my heart fluttered when she texted me to say that she’s getting canvas prints of her images!! Love that.
On my first day of shooting a plastic snowflake hanging from the ceiling got tangled in my messy bun and I ripped it off it’s fishing line. Little did I know that was a God-send. Give an anti-smiler a snowflake to hold…make a reference to Frozen…and they are putty in your hands.
This pistol hated the idea of having a photo taken by himself. But he loves his momma…and playing hide and seek with snowflakes.
You’ve seen these two before. They get real giggly when they have to kiss under pressure. Which cracks me up. They also claim that they aren’t photogenic…but I don’t buy it.
This is a great photo. It’s snuggly and Christmasy and warm.
This is an even better photo because these two adults appear to be afraid of the faux snow I gave them to throw. I warned them it was just glitter.
Remember Wrinkles and how well behaved she was? This is Max. He is about the size of a bear. And he was terrified of my kitchen floor, basement stairs, and sitting still. This is his best shot {sorry his face has a flake in it!}. The poor guy was so scared his daddy had to carry him up the stairs and out to the car like a baby. A very big, fury, intimidating baby. Pretty much one of my favorite moments of mini sessions.
This guy insisted on giving me “the look.” The look that says, “Lady, I don’t know who you are…and you haven’t earned a smile from me…and I don’t find you funny.” Lucky for us, he is ticklish. And his parents know the sweet spot. I adore this image.
And speaking of ticklish, laughable moments, how about this one? Presh.
Or this one? I love catching the antics of grown ups trying to get kiddos to smile.
Look at this blue eyed beauty! She was a gem. It took a little work, but those giggles were worth it! And although she tried to eat the Christmas lights, I’ll forgive her–because…just look at her. How can you not?
This tiny man wins my fictitious award for best dressed toddler. So stylish. And that look on his face. So sweet.
Oh, are we talking about sweet things? What about Santa Baby? Love that face!
Someday this photo might be seen as embarrassing for her. But right now, in this moment, she loves that purple-bear-snow suit and she isn’t afraid to show it. Ridiculously adorable.
I have no words to describe how much a adore these facial expressions. What a moment. What a trio. What a smoulder…
You’ve seen this gang before! Every time we work together it’s a hoot! With four kiddos the room is bursting with personality, and I love every second of it.
I love that this super special group of girl friends got together for photos. This is my absolute favorite of the bunch. Doesn’t this photo just remind you how precious friends are?
There is something special about sibling photos. And I love this one. It’s fully of personality…and a little mischief!
And last, but not least…as Thanksgiving tradition holds, it’s the Allender family Christmas portrait. These are my adorable parents, and their very spoiled, very lovey dog, Lady. Yes, she is wearing a scarf and a wreath. No she doesn’t mind. All she wants is to kiss my mom’s face.
Thank you to ever single family that chose me for their Christmas portraits. I had a absolute blast and I hope you did too. Thank you for coming to my house, laughing at my jokes…and not being too creeped out by my very un-legit set up. I love you all and I will personally recommend you all for the Nice List, if Santa asks.
Merriest, jolliest, happiest of Christmases to all of you.
XO
Amy
by Amy | Nov 17, 2014 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
I’ve been sitting at my computer for 20 minutes now. I’ve typed up nearly a dozen intro paragraphs for this post and all of them seem to fall flat. They’ve been deleted and retyped over and over and over. Why so many rewrites? Well, the thing is, the family you see before your eyes was such a pleasure to work with, their children so darling, so witty, the photos so pretty…I just can’t come up with a hook for this post that describes that to you sufficiently.
So I’ll say this: This is the Sorensen family. I was nervous when mom, Nichelle {yes, I love that name too!} told me they had five kids ranging in age from 12 to only a few months old. But as soon as the crew unloaded from the car for their family portrait session, my worries melted away at seeing these lovely strawberry-blonde kiddos. I love the personality in this family. It’s diverse and intoxicating. Everyone had great attitudes {even the littlest of the bunch} despite the chilly air–there was a mad dash for jackets between shots–and the notorious North Dakota wind. I had such a great time with this gang and I am just so very pleased that they picked me to capture the art of this moment together.
My experience has shown me that among siblings {especially in large families} there is usually one that really likes to be photographed. This, is that child for the Sorensens. And if you look at the other photos, I think it shows. I’m a fan of all kids–but there is a special place in my heart for fellow posers like myself. {As a child I was the kid who loved getting photos taken, and I hated being told how to pose–I had plenty of ideas on that myself!}
They say pictures are worth a thousand words. I’m not sure about a full thousand. But I can attest to the fact that every photo has a story. I don’t share them all, but I will share this–because it is irresistibly cute. I snapped lots of photos of the family on this day. Lots and lots were taken in an attempt to try and get a “natural smile” on this little one’s face. She was the coldest of them all. So it took a little coaxing to get her to sit and smile with the rest of the family.
At one point she asked for a treat after they were done. She has awesome parents, who said, of course she could have a treat. Then they asked her what she’d like. What did she think they should get as a reward for smiling pretty?
A piece of gum. Just one. Adorable. Kids crack me up. Their minds are so candid. I think it’s very endearing. She smiled very pretty, and I hope she got that piece of gum she was so excited about.
This was a seriously fun group to work with. I hope you love your photos as much as I do. And I really hope there’s one worthy of the wall or a Christmas card in here. Your flash drive is on the way!
Amy
by Amy | Nov 14, 2014 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
A couple weeks ago I met the Rockwells. This is them. Sarah and I emailed and texted back and forth in the days leading up to the session…and I’m so glad she didn’t color me crazy when I asked her to bring a variety of onsies and an assortment of their favorite baby clothing along with them. I love the clothes line. I love these photos. I love this couple.
It was such a treat to spend time with them. There is something simply magical about a couple filled with joy about their upcoming arrival. This little one is so blessed to be entering into a family that is so anxious to love her with all their might. While these two didn’t go on and on about how excited they are to be becoming first time parents, they glow with an enthusiasm that makes my heart go pitter-patter. I think you’ll see what I mean.
Once we were all done with the clothesline maternity photos, this might have happened. Baby-clothes confetti seemed like a good idea at the time…
Rockwells, congratulations on this amazing milestone! I am so very happy to have met you and spent an afternoon {a chilly afternoon} getting to know you. I simply cannot wait to meet your little one in December!
PS–Thanks you guys for speaking to me in public later in the evening when you ran into me looking like this…I appreciate you acknowledging me, and not thinking I’m completely crazy.
by Amy | Nov 11, 2014 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
What To Wear In Christmas Photos | Ten Tips Just For You
With mini sessions fast approaching I’ve received lots of questions about what clothes look best in Christmas photos. Instead of responding one by one with a quick text message answer, I thought I’d thoughtfully put together some recommendations for you.
Now, keep in mind, these are beginners tips. If you are a seasoned pro at getting the family gussied up for picture day, feel free to go rogue. Wear what you like. Get bold, get goofy, be classy. If you are new at the whole pro-photo game…I hope some of these tips will give you some ideas and be a good starting place for you.
1. Dress for the same season.
{This beautiful portrait come from Sara Garcia Photo Art. Go over to see more from this precious session.}
This is my first an foremost tip when it comes to Christmas card portraits. I’ve gotten lots of {very nice} compliments on the clothing Derek and I wore in the sample mini session shots. But we went through a few options before we settled on the right thing. Okay–I went through a few options, then told him that he should “…really put on the flannel–it looks cozier.”
We started with him in a cotton button down and me in a sweater I picked up in Norway. Even if we threw on some gloves and hats it looked like we were dressed for different seasons {me for -10, him for 60’s.} You can go super cozy or super breezy–just be sure your family looks like they could all be put in the same setting comfortably.
{As a side note…also dress with the same level of class. One in a cocktail dress and one in a hoodie is bound to look awkward.}
2. Jackets, hats, gloves, and scarves.
I love this set and this photo from Kelly Klatt. Go to her website for more winter inspiration. It abounds over there!
I’m totally behind sporting outdoor winter wear to an indoor Christmas photo session. But–like most things, there are guidelines. A cute coat on the dressy side is good. Wearing your Colombia ski/sledding parka looks frumpy. A fashionable hat…or even something on the super warm and silly side is great. A ski mask is terrifying.
3. Don’t be over realistic.
Staged Christmas card photos are not meant to be a window into reality. They are created to be a little whimsical and fun. {At least mine are.} So, although you wouldn’t normally wear a jacket inside, or snow boots with cute jeans or hats and scarves without coats–it’s totally cool to do in your Christmas photo.
It’s also totally cool to go classy in your Christmas portraits. You might not want to go super dressy in a photo that will hang year-round in your home. So Christmas photos are a great time to get a little fancy, even if that’s not how you usually roll.
This classy example hails from the blog at DKW Styling.
4. Think about fabric and texture.
Cozy is the word I love to use when I think about winter portraits. With that in mind, try to incorporate something cozy into your outfits. Flannel is a classic choice. It never gets old. Textured sweaters or a scarf with an interesting knit is also a good way to cozy up an ensemble. Layers are also a good choice and they add variety to an outfit.
5. Uniforms.
Your photos are not work. They aren’t private school. They aren’t the military. So please, please…don’t put your family in a uniform. {Unless you are the VonTrapps. Then, by all means do whatever you like.} Your photos will be lovely if you use things from your closets that your family likes to wear–even if that means you aren’t all dressed identically. This is a short session, to be displayed for a short time. So be a little more relaxed.
That said–if you are being geeky, cheeky, or going for that “awkward” look, feel free to dress as identically as you like. Feel free to click over to Awkward Family Photos for more where that came from…
6. Going neutral.
This image via Photography By Jess. See the full session and other lovely work at her site.
Sticking with a dress code of neutrals is a very safe way to make sure your family looks awesome in your photos. Neutrals can mean a variety of things. Mix any of these colors {bonus points if they are cozy, as mentioned in #4} and you’ll look great: Cream, tan, brown, gray, navy blue, pale blue, black, muted yellows.
7. Adding color.
If you’d like to add color, but are nervous about it–this tip is for you. Whatever you do, don’t panic and put everyone in black pants and a blue top.
Instead, stick with a mostly neutral pallet {see #6}, then weave a color or two throughout your family. Use the color as boldly or as sparingly as you like, but make it consistent. You can go with one bright pop of color, or weave a color throughout to keep everyone consistent. These images do a great job of demonstrating how you can add pops of color to your outfits without looking cheesy or too uniformy.
Good colors to incorporate are red {classic Christmas choice}, green, yellow, blue.
This family does a good job of weaving red through an otherwise neutral pallet. From Rebekah Westover Photography.
This family used mustard as their accent. See the whole session at Erin Summerill Photography.
8. Going colorful.
This vibrant portrait comes from Chelsey Bell Photography.
Like we said earlier, Christmas photos don’t have to be super realistic. So, even though your family might not normally go overboard with color–if you are feeling vibrant this is a good time to make it happen. The key to going with lots of colors is to make sure they have similar intensity {how vibrant they are}, are from the same color family {cool colors like blue, green, aqua, etc or warm colors like orange, yellow, red, etc.}, or they compliment each other.
9. Don’t be bossy.
Your husband probably isn’t a catalog model. He probably never will be. Accept it and move on. Sure, we can all look at the Eddie Bauer ads and think how classy those guys look. But, that’s not ever going to be Derek. Not in a million years. I could go buy him an outfit straight from the catalog, and he’d probably humor me by putting it on. But he wouldn’t look like himself. And he’d probably feel pretty weird.
So don’t be bossy.
Your husband and your family will look much happier during the portrait session if they feel good about what they are wearing. Let them look normal. Let them wear things they will wear again. Don’t coerce your man into wearing a button down under a wool sweater with a scarf and colored jeans. He’ll thank you for it. And your photos will look like you–which is the point.
10. Get more inspiration here.
Kristen Duke Photography has a mega post on this topic. If you are looking for more specifics and inspiration, check out her site. It’s one of the best what-to-wear articles I’ve found.
Happy dressing! I’ll see you guys at the mini sessions.
by Amy | Nov 4, 2014 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
This is Genevieve. For short she goes by Gen. And just the adorable spelling of her shortened name should tell you that she is super cool and cute as a button. She’s graduating this year. At her session I complimented her on being photogenic. She laughed and said it was because the word had her name in it. PhotoGENic. On top of being pretty, and smart, she’s also got corny jokes on her side. I love it.
But seriously, taking her senior portraits was a blast…even if I did have major hair envy on the drive home.
During every senior session, it seems like there is a defining moment. A moment where I wonder if I’ve asked them to do something that’s too much, or too odd, or too awkward. During Gen’s session that moment came as I made her scale several fire escapes wearing precariously skinny heels. Did they slip through the cracks a couple times? Did they nearly trip her? Was she a good sport any way? Did we get awesome photos?
The answer to all of these is y-e-s.
{Isn’t there something very Audry Hepburn meets Express ad here?}
After scrambling stairs and climbing on roofs we headed out of town. If you ask me, there’s something very dreamy about a vintage chair in the middle of no where.
Now, you might think these photos have been great. And they have. But–I’ve omitted my very favorite two. One from town, one from country. They are hanging out over at the Facebook page right now. Head over and vote for the one you like best. If at least 40 people share their opinion, Genevieve will win an 8×10″ print! Oh, and you should just go ahead and like the page while you are there so you don’t miss out on anything fun in the future.
As of right now, I don’t have any more seniors on the books. It’s been an awesome season of shooting seniors. Every single one has blessed me with their energy and enthusiasm. And all of the girls have inspired me to do cuter things with my hair and buy more dresses! {Because they have all been so very, very fashionable and adorable.} Thanks a million, class of 2015–and especially Gen…for being a great way to end the season.
xo
Amy
by Amy | Nov 3, 2014 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
It’s November! Which means, it’s time!!
Christmas mini sessions are happening. As promised, here are all the details you need.
I’ve got two dates to choose from. Sessions last about 15 minutes {but if friends are here for their session before or after you, feel free to stay and visit as long as you like!} Sessions can be scheduled at any quarter hour, but space is limited–so be sure to get your spot reserved quick.
Saturday November 15th from 1-4pm
Sunday November 23rd from 12-5pm
Session fees are just $50. You’ll get five fully edited images, with a print release and a release to share them on social media, and a custom Facebook cover collage. Files will be delivered electronically about a week after your session. Once they are in your hands you have my blessing to print them anywhere and use them as you please on all your Christmas greeting cards.
For groups of friends, sessions are $50 for up to 5 people. More people than that, it’s just $10/head–and you’ll all get the files.
**Other discounts do not apply to mini sessions
I’ll be collecting and creating more props before sessions start. I’ll have big wrapped gift boxes, a sled, faux snow, ice skates, chairs, mugs, blankets, and twinkle lights. But, you know I love creativity…so feel free to bring along something of your own.
What are you waiting for?!
Call or Text me–574-361-7268
Email me–amyallender@gmail.com
Message me via the Facebook page
Or…use the contact form here.
Thanks to all of you who had interest in holiday sessions again this year! I’m so excited to let the merriment begin!
